MIKAEL LUSTIG may have caught the headlines for his Rabona in Perth.

But the Celtic right-back insists he gets his kicks from a Celtic team who believe a treble is within their reach.

The Swede's audacious assist in the 5-2 win over St Johnstone was a major show of confidence within a Hoops team that is now 27 points clear at the summit of the Ladbrokes Premiership with a Betfred Cup already secured.

With that in mind, today's visit of Inverness in the Scottish Cup represents one of the biggest matches of the club's season. While a slip up or eight may make little difference from claiming another title, Lustig knows the dream of a trophy trio would die if the Highlanders were to inflict a low blow to Brendan Rodgers' team.

“It is something special, not many teams have done it in Scotland or anywhere in the world. You want to be a part of that," he said.

"We know we are going to be favourites in most of the games so we just look forward.

“Yeah, absolutely [this is the biggest game of the season], of course. The league looks really good but we are still hungry to break some records in the league as well but the main thing now is the cup. We want to win the cup really bad so we need to win.”

"We go into most games as favourites and we have done really well so far. Of course it’s a massive game. If we lose we are out. So we need to win.”

It would be remiss to not ask the 30-year-old about THAT kick at McDiarmid Park last Sunday that topped off an impressive comeback for the champions.

At the end of a mesmerising run on the back of 25 passes - with every Celtic player touching the ball - the reverse back heel to play the ball towards Callum McGregor and then Moussa Dembele to finish was a moment of genius.

However, Lustig has played down suggestions by some that the move was disrespectful, saying: “I would absolutely disagree that it’s disrespectful.

"Of course, if you are standing near the corner flag doing step-overs, then I can buy that. But it was a pass, and a good pass as well, so I don’t see that it’s disrespectful. I’m not sure I’m going to do it again, but we’ll see.

“I don’t practice it in training. It’s something I have tried before but it is going to be a big thing when it is part of a goal.

“It was just an instinctive thing. It’s not as if I’m thinking of doing it before the game, I’m not that type of player. But I got the ball and it was on my left foot, so I thought ‘why not?’.

“It was a great goal. Callum’s back-heel was brilliant as well. We made over 20 passes before it, with every member of the team touching the ball, so that’s a really good goal.

“I’m not sure I’ve been part of a goal like that before. I’ve played in teams who have a lot of possession, so maybe."

It is clear that Celtic are a team, right in the here and now, that are in the midst of something special.

However, the future excites Lustig just as much.

Last month the Swedish internationalist put pen to paper on a deal to extend his stay at Celtic Park until 2019, a move that would keep him in Glasgow for a total of seven years since he first joined from Rosenborg in 2012.

Lustig has been a consistent performer for all three of the managers he's worked under in Scotland, from Neil Lennon to Ronny Deila and now Rodgers.

Yet the excitement and confidence instilled in this group by the current manager is something that fills the right-back with hope for the seasons ahead.

"I signed here because I really like playing for this club and what’s going on at this club right now seems fun and I want to be a part of it," he explained.

“We feel a lot stronger going into the later stages of games this season. Last season, we were under pressure in most games that we felt we needed to win. That can be hard, both mentally and in your legs.

“We don’t feel that way now. Now, we just see opportunities all the time. The biggest proof of that was in the game at St Johnstone.

“From the first minute of the second half, we showed we were just going to press them down, get the ball and create chances.

"You just look at the signings we can do, Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele have come in. They are really good players. Over the last two years we maybe wouldn’t have gone for those kind of signings.”

Part of that vision is Rodgers' desire to take Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League, and Lustig added: "I might have stayed anyway, but of course. It feels like Celtic are going somewhere now that we can bring in players of real quality. We aim to be a steady team in Europe as well.”